Sound recording and reproducing apparatus



July 21,; 1931.

F. H. OWENS SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS L/Afi Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv FREEMAN H. OWENS, OF NEW YORKpN. Y.,YASSIGNOR T OWENS DEVELOPMENT COR- IVORATION, OF NEW-YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SOUND RECORDING-AND REPRODUCING .APARATUS Application filed. July 31, `19799. Serial No. 382,568.V

This invention relates to improvements in sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the principal object of the invention being to provide means for rendering the motors and recording or reproducing lamp inoperative while the lm is being threadedthrough the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying this specication,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side View of a portion of a reproducing apparatus embodying the features ofthe present invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view, on an enlarged scale, showing the featuresrof the inventionin greater detail.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in both figures of the drawings. Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a housing in which is disposed a lens assem- V bly 2 and a roller film support 3 for the passage of light rays to the ilm 4 asdescribed in my copending application Serial -No.

5V and aY supply reel 6, whereby the lilm is caused to travel over the roller filml support and pastl its light station. The system of guide rolls 7, 8, 9,10 and 11 and sprocket 12 is the same as that shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 382,564

tiled July 31, 1929.

In Figure l the apparatus is illustrated as a ing l, the rays from which lamp are focused by the lens assembly 2 on the `film as it passes over theroller film support whereupon saidf rays, modulated by their passage through the photographic record carried by the film, are caught by a photo electric cell 14 whereby they are translatedinto electrical impulses and transmitted to a suitable amplifier 15 and loud speaker (not shown) in the usual manner. The motorfor `operating the film moving elements is designated 16.

The present invention relates'primarily toy the provision of means whereby 'when the film -1 is being threaded through the apparatus the 360,871, filed May 6,' 1929. Onopposite sides of the housing 1 are disposeda take up reel current to the motor as well as to the repro- Yducing or recording lamp is automatically cut off so that the motor and lamp will be inoperative during the threading operation.

To this end a curved link 17 is mounted at one end on the shaft of the guide roller 8, said link being pivotally connected at its opposite end to a bifurcated arm 18 secured on a shaft 19 mounted for rotation in bearings `disposed inparallel relation with theA `this `purpose the shaft 19v is provided with linger pieces or levers 21 whereby the shaft may be readily rocked to carry its arm 18, and

. withv itthe end of the shoe-carrying link 17, Vfrom one position to the other. In order to throw the motor and recording or reproduc-` ing lamp out of operation when the film is being threaded and to bring them` back into operation after the threading is completed, a secondarm 22 is secured on shaft 19, which arm is pivotallyconnected to one end` of aV slidable rod 23, on which are secured a pair of bifurcated lugs 24 and 25. The circuit to the motor includes a switch boX 26, from which t a pivoted switch operating lever 27 projects reproducing apparatus, and forthis purpose a reproducing lamp 13 1s shown in the houstoa position between the'bifurcations Vof lug 24, and the circuitfto` the lamp includes a switch box 28 frfomwhich a pivoted switch operating lever 29 projects to a point between thebifurcations of ,lug 25,. It willthus be readily seen-that when the shaft 19 is rocked so as to carry the link 17 from one position to Vthe other the slidabley rod 23 will, by means of thelugs 24 andf25 shift the switch levers 27 and 29. The switches are so arranged that It is desirable, however, that, after the threading is completed and before the motor again starts to operate, the operator have an opportunity to inspect the apparatus to see that it is ready to function and to make sure that the lamp is burning properly. For this reason, a manually operable switch is included in the motor circuit, so that, with this switch open, the motor will remain inoperative even though the switch lever 27 has been thrown to circuit-closing position by the lug 24. The switch 30 may be so constructed that when the lug-operated motor switch lever 27 is thrown into circuit-breaking position, the switch 30 is also opened and will remain open when the switch-lever 27 is returned to circuit closing position. This may be accomplished in a number of diiierent ways, which it isbelieved are perfectly obvious.

It will of course be obvious that the device herein described is equally applicable for vuse in recording or reproducing apparatus.

I claim l. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, and

'a driving motor, rotatable means for causing a film to travel past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, shiftable means `for normally retaining said film in engagement with said rotatable means, means for shifting said retaining means into and out of operative position, and means actuated by said shifting means to control the motor and lamp circuits.

2. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, rotatable means for causing a film to travel past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, shiftable means for normally retaining said film in engagement with said rotatable means, means for shifting. said retaining means into and out of operative position, switches in themotor and lamp circuits, and means actuated by said shifting means to close and open said switches when the retaining means is in operative and inoperative position respectively.

3. VIn sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, a sprocket adapted to engage a lm and cause it to travel past said `light station, a light sensitive element atsaid station for receiving the film modulated light, a shiftable shoe normally engaging said lm :and retaining it in engagement with said sprocket, means for shifting said shoe into -and out of ,operative position, and means actuatedbv said shifting means for opening the motor and lamp circuits when the shoe is in its inoperative position.

4. In sound recording and reproducingapparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at sa1d statlon, a driving motor, means for moving a film past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, shiftable means for normally retaining said film in engagement with said moving means, means for shifting said retaining means out of operative position, switches in the motor and lamp circuits, a slidable rod having means for opening and closing said switches, and means carried by said shifting means for operating said rod.

5. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus,` the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, means for moving a film past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the lilm modulated light, a pivoted link having means for engaging said film and normally retaining it in engagement with said moving means, means for rocking said link on its pivot out of operative position, and means actuated by said rocking means for opening the motor and lamp circuits when the link is in inoperative position.

6. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, means for moving a film past said light station, a light sensitive element at said said station for receiving `the film modulated light, shiftable means 'for normally retaining said film in engagement with said moving means, a rockable arm pivotally connected to said retaining means and adapted to shift the same out of operative position, means for rocking said arm, and means actuated by said rocking means for opening the motor and lamp circuits when the retaining means is in inoperative position.

7. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, rotatable means for causing a film to travel past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, shifta-' ble means for normally retaining said film in engagement with .said rotatable means, means for shifting said retaining means into and out of operative position, switches'inthe motor and lamp circuits, and a slidable member actuated by said shifting means and having means -for closing and opening said switches when the retaining means isin operl ative and inoperative position respectively.

8. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station,

a lamp'forsupplying light at said station, a

.driving.motor, a sprocket adapted to engage a lilm and cause it to travel past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, a pivoted link having a shoe adapted to engage said film and normally retain it in engagement with said sprocket, a rockable arm pivotally connected to said link and adapted to shift the same into and out of operative position, means for rocking said arm, switches in the motor and lamp circuits, a slidable member pivotally connected with said arm-rocking means thereby to impart reciprocatory motion to said slidable member, and bifurcated lugs carried by said slidable member and adapted to engage said switches thereby to open and close the same at each complete reciprocation of the slidable member.

9. In sound recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a light station, a lamp for supplying light at said station, a driving motor, a sprocket adapted to engage a lm and cause it to travel past said light station, a light sensitive element at said station for receiving the film modulated light, a pivoted link having a shoe adapted to engage said lm and normally retain it in engagement with said sprocket, a rockable arm pivotally connected to said link and adapted to shift they same into and out of operative position, means for rocking said arm, switches in the motor and lamp circuits, a slidable member pivotally connected with said arm rocking means thereby to impart reciprocatory motion to said slidable member, bifurcated lugs carried by said slidable member and adapted to engage said switches thereby to open and close the same at each complete reciprocation of the slidable member, and a separate manually operable switch in the motor circuit.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

FREEMAN H. OWENS. 

